Assignment 7-TD

September 12th, 1990. A treaty was signed by East and West Germany and the Allies of World War II allowing for the restoration of sovereignty to a re-unified Germany.The 'Four' renounced all rights they held in Germany allowing for a united Germany to become fully sovereign. This was a good event. It lessened the imperialism in the world and allowed for a world super power to rise. Germany would rise triumphantly as they always do and become the #1 country in Europe. I don't have any personal connections to this event. My grandfather was in WWII but I do not feel many emotions about that. I do not like war and neither did my grandfather, he simply went as he had to. My father and mother I know would definitely have strong opinions on this as they grew up in Soviet controlled Mongolia. The signing of this treaty occurred around the same time Mongolia broke off from being a Soviet satellite and this treaty definitely would have had influences on the events in Mongolia.

Assignment 6-TD

What was your childhood like?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
What makes you afraid?

What makes me afraid is the thought of my own mortality. I am not in constant fear of this though. I will be completely fine and it will suddenly dawn on me that I will die and everything I have done will account for nothing. Lately I have comforted myself with sleep. My want for sleep has increased quite a bit lately. I envision death to be a sleep, an eternal sleep. The universe has gone on for fourteen billion years, and it will be completely fine after I no longer stand here. Actually, it might not be fine but that is way too far off to care about. I will say that I am Tibetan Buddhist and do not believe in God. Thus, that gives me my views on the afterlife. As I say that though, I know that probably all of you have misconceptions about Buddhism's views on the afterlife, that I believe I will be reborn as a worm if I do bad or something. I don't want to explain it, but I will say that even with religion, my fears of my mortality are not extinguished.

Assignment 6 Tyree

What's one thing you wish to accomplish by the end of the year
If you had one place to visit before death what would it be
Where do you see yourself 5 years from now
5 years from now I will be a 21 year old Junior at a University. I will most likely still be studying to be a dentist and hopefully will not be overwhelmed by the difficulty and time consumption. I will have plenty of friends in and out of class on campus and wish to not be living the typical "broke" college life. I also wish to be having good enough grades on exams to be going to dental school within the next two years and hope my sign Tyson which will be 15 will still be alive.

Assignment 6- Joonyoung Park

What is one thing this year that you wish to get accomplished? How will you accomplish this?

Look back at yourself 5 years from now. Compare yourself from then until now.

If you had 30 days left to live, what would you do with those 30 days?

Looking back at myself 5 years from now, I was in 6th grade. Through out time, I have changed both physically and mentally. 5 years ago my goal in life was to be the president of South Korea. I then realized really quickly that politics is not really my favorite area. After that my dream changed to becoming a teacher. I had always been strong in math and thought that maybe I had found something in life that I could do well. This dream ended when I realized that being a teacher would be kina hard because some students may not be the best behaved. In 8th grade I ran hurdles for the Morton track team. I did pretty well at the meets and at county that year. This led me to think that I may have a career in track. So I hoped that I would continue track in high school and hopefully get recruited. This dream was ended when I began tennis and began to like tennis much more than track. Now in high school, I have no idea what I want to be anymore. I think as this year progresses, I will have a better idea of what I want to be and will pursue that career more.

Ben Schaeffer assignment 4

Ben Schaeffer. History in Pictures Assignment 4

This is a photo of  a Confederate Soldier on Devils Den. Just before this photo was taken, the bloodiest battle of the American Civil Was fought. In June of 1863, Robert E. Lee boldly pushed into the North with hopes of gaining the upper hand in the war. He clashed with the Union army at Gettysburg on July 1. They met for a number of reasons but mainly because Gettysburg was where many main roads converged. Given that Lee had a lot of his army and Gettysburg was close to D.C., a lot of men were brought in on both sides resulting in a massive battle that raged on for three days. This famous picture was taken on Devils Den, a cluster of boulders near the union flank that confederates attacked on the second day. It shows the brutality of war and is a grim reminder of just how difficult this period was for Americans. Usually, we look at war pictures and feel distant, but this battle was fought in southern Pennsylvania. When this picture was first published, people felt a sense of pity and wanting the cruel war to be over. The solider's lifeless body sprawled on the rocks really hits home. The picture tells the story of a man who fought and died for his country, instilling patriotism in many. The rifle near him lets us know that he also contributed to the fighting.

Assignment 6- John Felty

11.)    Children often say they want to grow up to be an astronaut, doctor, e.t.c. How do your career goals now compare to those of the younger you?

22.)    As high school students we often find ourselves running out of time to do things that we used to have the time to do. What are some of the activities that you used to do a lot? Do you miss doing these things? If you had the time, would you continue doing these things?

33.)    If you could score the soundtrack of your life, what songs would you choose?

1.)    I remember in kindergarten we had to draw pictures of what we wanted to be when we grew up. I only remember drawing a picture of a police officer and a baseball player. Over time, this evolved, and in the fourth grade I decided that I wanted to be an architect after I went on a field trip to Williamsburg and was amazed by the architecture. I stuck with this career path through middle school. Once I got in high school I was really forced into begin to think about what career I really want to get serious about. Now I’m considering a career in engineering. As a kid I chose some grand profession but as time went on, I began to choose a more realistic goal.

Ben Schaeffer Assignment 3

Assignment 3. Ben Schaeffer




I am going to come upfront and say absolute good and evil does not exist. Often "true" evil is created for literary or cinematic purposes. Antagonists are created to make the story juicy. Characters such as Voldemort don't have a good bone in their body. Even those who commit mass murder might show remorse or have at least done something kind in their life such as help an old lady cross the street. If they feel no guilt, they aren't evil, they are sociopaths and mentally ill. There is no war between good and evil. There is simply a war of human motivation and action. For example, ISIS can't be classified as the bad guys because in their eyes we are the bad guys. If somebody robs a bank or commits a crime they aren't doing it because they are "evil," they do it because they are extrinsically motivated. Usually these sinners are good people too. Completely nice and normal people can do things that society labels as evil on any given day. Good and evil do not exist in our world. In my opinion, it is just who we are. The concept of good and evil is completely subjective. An American soldier might be feared overseas, but here he is a hero. In books, evil is those who commit bad deeds and want to reek havoc, but in the real world it is those who do things that the majority of the population would deem cruel. Similarly, with being "good," in books the good guys are working for the well being of others. However, in our world it might be as simple as being polite and conscience of others.

Assignment 6- Paige Barricklow

1.) If you had to pack up everything you could and move to another country today, where would you go? Why would you go there?

2.) If you could be any fictional character, from books, movies, TV, anywhere, who would you be? What choices would you make differently than they do?

3.)Which celebrity do you think least deserves their fame? Why? Which celebrity do you think most deserves to be famous? Why?

1.) If I could had to move right now I would go to Denmark. Denmark is really pretty with amazing buildings and gorgeous public spaces in the cities. The people in Denmark are known to be really nice people in general. They also have free college for everyone, with beautiful campuses that are actually well funded. They have really good benefits, including an average of 52 weeks paid maternity leave. On top of all of that, Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world so that really speaks for itself.

Nick Falk Assignment 6

1) Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What have you done? What have you accomplished? Did you set goals to help you along this way? If yes, what?

2) Look back on past years and think about how drastically your goals over time.

3) What today are you most passionate about today, and look back 5 years and see how much it has changed.

2) As life goes on, we change physically, but what we don't notice changing are our thoughts and goals. We change our career goals so many times before we reach adulthood and never think about it. Until now, I haven't realized how much those have changed. For example, in first grade I thought there was no way I wouldn't make it to the MLB. I thought my baseball skills were just far more superior to everyone else. Then, in about fourth grade I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but as time went on, I found science uninteresting and moved on. In about sixth grade, I thought I wanted to be a fire fighter, but as I soon realized I wasn't brave enough to risk my life or be able to withstand the demands the job ensued. Now after working this summer in the house creating world, I now believe I want to be in construction management. Granted, this could change anytime, but as of right now that is my goal. These goals have changed immensely and no correlation whatsoever. This just shows how much change we go throughout our lives.

Assignment 6: Create Your Own Adventure - Jake Tucker

   Since we are allowed to discuss anything we want this week, I will take my time to explain all of my complaints with the University of Kentucky's football program. Including almost everything from decisions made by the athletic department to decisions made by the players.

   First, let's "tackle" the players, and ironically, the defense in particular. This is ironic due to their inability to tackle any player for any opposing team before they gain five yards. It is absolutely pitiful to watch young men who are going to college for free due to their ability to play football defensively fall short of what allowed them to attend college at the University of Kentucky. Even though the coaches tend to get the brunt of the blame for defensive mishaps, the same type of mistakes have been occurring since the Rich Brooks coaching era, and probably before that, but I don't remember as I was too young. The point is that different players have come through and different coaches have come through, but the same problems remain, and it makes no sense. Much like many of the coaching decisions.

   The coaching has been sub par for Kentucky from the time Rich Brooks retired about ten years ago. Joker Phillips was a joke, pun intended, and Mark Stoops, a supposed defensive genius hasn't been able to beat any relevant team in the four years he has been here, much less stop anybody from scoring. This was especially evident at last year’s opening game against Louisiana -Lafayette. In the first half the offense was clicking and the defense was able to hold the visitors to very few points, and the Wildcats actually looked somewhat decent. Then the second half came, and I was very confident that we would see a similar half to the one that had occurred only 20 minutes earlier. But no, the Ragin' Cajuns came storming back ad nearly beat us in our brand-new stadium. That night I remember thinking, "Wow, how embarrassing would it be to lose to a Conference USA team on opening night." This came back to bite me as a similar series of events led to a loss at the beginning of this year's season. However, this doesn't show a lack of ability or talent in the players, it shows a lack of coaching skill. These games, and the late season collapses made by Kentucky fall completely on the coaches, and the Athletic Department.

   The biggest group of crooks n this whole operation is the Athletic department. That happen to be the group of people that allowed for a 100 million dollar stadium renovation in 2014, for a team without a winning record since 2008. Also they permitted a 40 million dollar training facility for this same team. All of this was justified for the recruiting benefits, but after the stadium renovations we actually had a lower ranked recruiting class. So the 140 million dollar question is now "Why Not?" That must have been what they started with when trying to determine whether or not to give a coach with a losing record a contract extension with an 12 million dollar buy out after narrowly beating a bad South Carolina team. Yet, after every 5-7 finish we blame the offensive coordinator who can't keep up with the other teams’ scoring, and fire that poor guy instead. I think it is time for Mitch Barnhart to look at the only constant through the Stoops era, and he'll surely see that Mark Stoops and DJ Elliot, the defensive coordinator are the true problem. Though we can't fix said problem because we've spent all the money on new buildings and not coaches.

Assignment 6 - Lena Ilagan

Prompt 1:If you had to create one olympic sport, what would it be, and why? How would it benefit viewers? Is it entertaining for its novelty, or its impressive showcase of strength?

Prompt 2: If you suddenly become extremely talented at something you once were mediocre or awful at, what would it be, and why?

Prompt 3: If you could bend or manipulate one element, which one would it be? Would you then use that power for good, or evil?  Why would you even chose that element in the first place?



If I were to suddenly acquire a skill I had been previously awful at doing, I would definitely choose singing.

One of my most traumatic memories of my childhood was when my mother sat me down at the kitchen table and told me I had to stop singing in the shower, because earlier that day everyone at her dinner party had heard my screeching rendition of Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone.  It was right there and then my five-year-old dream of becoming a sensational popstar was crushed; gone were the visions of glitter, screaming fans, and an easy life of money and adoration.  That was but the first of my many crushed dreams, and though it was not the last, it was the most emotionally damaging. Many a night, I have pondered upon the thought of what my life could have been, had I not been tone deaf.  Maybe I could have become one of those child-singer sensations and ended up on disney channel. But life isn't fair, and God didn't bless me with the proper equipment to bring forth heavenly notes.  If there was one skill that I have never been able to master, it has been singing.

Music one of the most beautiful things on this Earth, and many times has literally been the only thing holding me onto this tangible plane of being.  With every note I listen to, I feel as if my soul climbs higher and higher into the air, floating on the breeze of gentle, yet heavy chords.  Sometimes, I feel as if I could somehow match the pitches of the notes coming through my ears.  Each time, I tell myself, "Maybe if I just feel it enough, then I can make my music sound good.  Who needs pitches when you've got soul?"

However, that thought quickly flies out the window when my parents bang on the door and ask me if I'm skinning someone alive.  Each time, I have to tell my parents with great shame that I was just listening to music, and each time, they snap to me that I need to just "sing along in my head," and that, "I'm making everyone in the neighborhood go deaf."  It is not because I want to maim my good neighbors (though, if I make everyone deaf, then I can sing all I want and no one will tell me to shut up) that I sing; I just want to feel alive through the notes, that's all.

It has been my most desired wish that I could match the ethereal pitches ringing through my ears, that I could recreate the notes playing in my ears through my humble lips, that my notes could fly through the crisp blue sky, hand in hand with those of the artists playing through my headphones.  If I were somehow granted the wish to have harmonious vocal chords, and a pair of tone-receptive ears, then I feel as if I could go miles with them.  I have the heart and soul of a great singer, but none of the mechanics to match, and that reality is a very sad one indeed.  Maybe someday they'll offer a way to switch vocal chords with others, and maybe then I can achieve my five year old dream of becoming a glittery, glitzy popstar.  But until then, I'll have to settle with deafening my neighbors with terrible renditions of even more terrible music.  If my notes can't fly through the air, I'll just have to send them in an airplane.

zachary langdon assignment 6 prompts justice

1.       What’s your favorite piece of art? We’ll use art broadly here, it can be a sculpture, painting, song, movie, TV show, poem, etc. The key is that you can analyze it to explain why it appeals to you. Is it the colors, the flow, the story arc, the message, the rhythm? Try to give examples of why you think the arts use of these are praiseworthy.

2.      Write a description of something, anything, but make the description graphically fresh. Refer to chapter 6 on diction in writing with style. Here are a few good examples:

“a professor must have a theory, as a dog must have fleas”

                                                                                - H. L. Menchen

“the difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – ‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and lightning.”

-  Mark Twain

3.      When a change occurs in your life, how do you respond? Pick an example of a change that occurred in your childhood - like a move, a tree chopped down, a piece of old furniture sold - and explain your reaction to the change.

In 23 days, Woman shall be mine. It is beautiful to look and listen to, and I shall have it everywhere I go.

I am, of course, referring to the third studio album by justice. Justice, the French electronic music duo, is following up on its previous two albums, Cross and Audio, Video, Disco, with the long awaited and shortly teased with a third masterpiece. Two singles from the album have been released, entitled Randy and Safe and Sound. Let us discuss the former and more recent.

Rather than transcribe the whole song, I’ll let you listen for yourself via the magic of the internet https://open.spotify.com/track/1SxC0lHZ0OyEV4lvh5v9tm

But here are some highlights. The lyrics sound distant and soft, almost angelic, in their delivery. It uses a piano which alone sounds shrill and childish, but when put into resonance, it complements the vocals sublimely. And as the first chorus strikes, it swells into the most upbeat church organ to be heard, which proceeds to punctuate each line with a triumphant blast of nostalgic reverence. The vocal take center stage as every other instrument serves to punctuate them, carrying the songs weight during the verse breaks. The vocals serve as their own instrument, prioritizing resonance over diction. At one point a normal piano takes in and enters a give and take duet with the organ, the contrast causing the latter to sound more like a divine death ray. A repetitive electronic solo preludes a triumphant violin infantry, who take center stage, occasionally accented by a sweeping drone of synth. With the second round of lyrics, a gong comes in to punctuate the vocals which sounds like a disappointed church bell ringing in the distance. This is followed by down notes by the violins, which almost weep with each pause in vocals, but resume to their upbeat assault once they return.

Justice is often drawn into comparison with the more popular French electronic duo, daft punk. And granted are their similarities, but justice adds a reverence and triumphant calm. They have a not-so-covert religious undertone that shows in their frequent use of the organ and cross imagery across (pun intended) their albums covers. Their sound is monumental, awe-inspiring, unique. Their masters of sound in ways I’d never heard prior. 

Assignment 6- Daryn Smith

Prompt 1- What personality traits do you think are important for others to have/do you look for in a friend? What traits do you value most in yourself? What skills/ characteristics help lead people towards success?
Prompt 2- Do you think humans are naturally hypocritical? Do some people suppress hypocritical thoughts better than others? Or is it a trait of certain people and not others... why do you think this?
Prompt 3- When is it okay to lie? Should people be completely honest 100 percent of the time? Are lies necessary to maintain good relationships? Does lying make you a bad person?

Prompt 3:
Lying is widely considered a bad thing, yet I'd be shocked to meet a person who has never lied. Most people even lie daily, even if they are about small things. The question is, where do you draw the line between someone who lies about small things on occasion and when it actually begins to be harmful to your relationship with that person.
I personally try to avoid lying as much as possible, but it would be far from the truth to say that I don't lie. Whether it is to avoid someone's feelings getting hurt or simply because the truth is longer than I want to detail, lying is not entirely uncommon for me. It is true, however, that I very rarely, if at all, lie about serious things to friends or family.
I think that a world where people were completely honest 100 percent of the time would not be a pleasant world to live in. People don't need to know every detail of each other's lives, and there are certain things that are just better if unsaid. When I don't have a great opinion of someone, I don't want to advertise it to avoid conflict with that person (for example).
People should do their best not to lie as much as possible, but lying does not necessarily make you a bad person in my opinion. There are many circumstances under which you can lie with good intentions and to avoid harm being done. When lying does become bad, is when it is harmful to yourself or to those you are lying to. People should evaluate more carefully when they think it is ok or good to lie.

Assignment 6- Annie Varner

Annie Varner- 1st Hr AP Eng

1.  Have you ever experienced total bliss?  If yes, what happened?  Do you believe utter joy and contentment exists? If not, why not?  Explain.

2.  Has there ever been a time when urgency and timing has affected a decision you made?  How did those factors influence the outcome?

3.  Does "true love" exist?  Or is marriage simply the security of sharing your life with another being who you mutually enjoy?  Do you believe in love at first sight?

Response to prompt #3:
             I have grown up learning and reciting the dramatic scenes of "true love": tv shows and movies often revolving around "Rose", who found her perfect partner, but only realized it until it was too late.  I don't wish to declare that love is only an allusion, but it becomes hard to imagine the magical, never-ending thrill of spending the rest of your life with another person when divorce rates are climbing, and I have never experienced that type of love first-hand.  By the way, divorce rates are very high in the US.  Did you know that 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce, and the divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even higher.  That means a lot of people who at one point thought they were in love ended up deciding that they weren't actually in love anymore.  Although I would like to believe that true love exists, the newest generation of the greedy and instant-gratification obsessed will have to try extra hard to prove to me that the "happily ever after" of true love is real, and not a fairytale story told before 9-year-old Annie can go to sleep.  Or maybe I'm just a pessimist.

Assignment 5- Annie Varner

Annie Varner- 1st Hr AP Eng

For the love and hate of television.

Believe it or not, quality entertainment still exists; there's still a lot of really good television.   But there is still room for plenty of the reality-show brainwashing television we see as soon as we turn on the TV.  And if you can't recognize that quick enough, soon you'll find yourself having wasted 4 hours of your life watching "Season 8: Kourtney and Kim take Miami", and bathing in your own disgust.

It is the mass following behind shows like "Keeping up with the Kardashians" that both advertisers and cable companies are so easily targeting.  Those who will sit through an entire 2 hour segment (commercials and all) allow for the most convienient delivery of advertisements, and if you fail to recognize that, then you are among the masses who unknowingly submit themselves to the corporate businesses which are only seeking your money and approval.

In order to create a safeguard to prevent others from watching the classic waste-of-time-and-energy shows that clutter our nation's cable boxes and DVRs, I have compromised this short but helpful list of shows one should always avoid, and if there ever comes a time where you might think the only interesting show to watch is one of these, it is a perfect time to destroy your television entirely:
1.  Any season of "Keeping up with the Kardashians".  This should be obvious because Ive already used the show as an example twice.
2.  "Naked and Afraid", where a pair of strangers meet for the first time and try to survive together, naked.  Plus its just awkward when someone walks in the living room and you have to explain you're not just casually watching porn.
3.  "The Bachelor/The Bachelorette".
4.  "16 and pregnant".
5.  TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras", because what better way to spend your time then watch moms live vicariously through their 6 year old daughters dressed like tinker bell.
6. "My 600 Pound Life", yet another one of TLC's sad portrayals of American society following the lives of those with obesity.

And so the list continues...
So if you are one that struggles to find quality TV, or apart of the average American demographic that (from a recent Neilson report) spends more than 34 hours a week watching television, maybe you should reinvest your money and watch an episode of "Planet Earth" on Netflix for only $9.00 a month, free from advertisements.

Nicole Loy Assignment 6- Create Your Own Adventure

First Prompt: We’re a few months away from choosing the next president. Do you think either candidate is a good option? If so, which one and why? Do you only like them because the other one is such a poor choice?

Second Prompt: Which one is better- cat or dog?  Why did you make that choice? Which one would win in a fight and why?

Third Prompt: What movie plot is the most like your own life? Explain why you made that choice? Is it a comedy, drama, action movie, etc.? Are you satisfied with the ending?

I am an avid supporter of Hillary Clinton. I believe that she is immensely qualified for the job; she has been the secretary of state, a senator, and the first lady of both Arkansas and the United States. She can use her experience to aid her in making decisions regarding other countries or when working with Congress. I do not support her only because she is a woman, but I do like the idea of America finally electing a woman as the president. I do think Donald Trump would be a train wreck, but I actually like Hillary and would support her no matter what.

Caitlin Southworth - Create Your Own Adventure

Should people still attempt to clone living things and eventually humans?

What would happen if all fruits, vegetables and grains became extinct?

What makes horror films/ shows so popular?

Fruits, vegetables and grains are essential in daily nutrition, and key to many recipes. Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins, fiber and a wide range of health benefits; grains give you the carbs/ energy to do everything during the day. It’s easy to say they make up a large portion of a person’s diet, so what would happen if they were to go extinct? Well firstly, scientists would try to genetically grow them, produce “artificial” fruits, veggies and grains. This could possibly work, but lets say they fail, people would have no produce, no bread, no fruit pie, no pasta, no rice, no cereal, no cakes, no cookies. So many foods that we devour daily, would no longer exist. Could you survive? Much of our diet would rely on chemically made food, and a lot of people would gain a lot more weight. Healthy food choices would be scarce, farmers would have nothing to grow, the world would change without out our control. Starvation would likely rise, and life would be tougher, definitely not a piece of cake.

Blog 6- Safal Dumre

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Have you done anything to help you prepare for that goal?

What is your favorite app? Why?

My favorite app is the McDonalds app. I go frequently go to McDonalds because of its close proximity to school. Whenever I am hungry and want a bite to eat that is cheap, I go to McDonalds. I also really like their hot fudge sundaes which is another reason I often go to McDonalds. So when I, an avid member of the McDonalds community, found out about this app, I was astonished. The app is great for a multitude of reasons. For one thing, you can look at the menu straight on your phone. This is amazing because I can decide what I want to get, before I even get there. This saves me so much time wasted deliberating on what I want. It is also really hard to choose what I want without the app because the menu at McDonalds changes every 10 seconds. The app allows me to be quick and efficient when my turn to order comes, which I feel is appreciated by those behind me in line. What I like most about the app, however, is the savings. Every week the app gives out like 10 coupons which you can use. The coupons are like BOGO deals, a certain free item when you buy a specific item, or buy 3 and your 4^th one is free. This app saves me so much money, which is great since I ball on a budget. They also have free fries Friday, where you get free fries with any purchase. This app is by far the most useful app I have on my phone.

What Organization/Team/Group do you support? Describe how and why you became a supporter. It can be sports, music, charities, etc.…. Anything that you support avidly.

Will Blitch - assignment 6

Do you think that we should have homework?

What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you and how did you react? 

Think of your self 5 years ago, compare how you changed in those 5 years to how you think you will change in the next 5 years: 

In the past five years I’ve come a long way, not only physically but mentally. This change is pretty drastic. Especially in my personality, I used to be more introverted and annoying. I don’t think that my personality will change as much as it did in the last five years, however in the next five years I will go to college and be on my own, I’m sure this will have a large effect on how I act. However, I have read an article about how humans always see change in the past and cannot tell when something is actively changing 

Assignment 6: Create Your Own Adventure- Amanda Byerman

My prompts:

1) You have held your favorite book close to your heart all your life, but suddenly realize you are the only one who has ever read or heard of the book or its mysterious author. Describe what happens next.

2) You find a newspaper on  side of the road, emblazoned with the headline "NUCLEAR WAR IN AMERICA", and the date September 25, 2017. Every other part of the newspaper is mysteriously burned off. What was the cause of the war? Would you act to stop it?

3) What everyone expected to be the "Zombie Apocalypse" is upon us- humans are now virtually unkillable. It is discovered not to be a disease, as was initially thought, but simply the next stage in human evolution. What do you do?

(These are all prompts which I think warrant more time to be written upon than I have right now, so instead of answering the question the prompts ask, I'll just respond the why I like each one/find it worth writing about)

1) I took inspiration for this prompt from one of my favorite books, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (an EXCELLENT read, in my unbiased-ish opinion). One of the most overlooked parts of any piece of writing is the author, and I believe that giving that some real thought gives you some very valuable insight into any kind of writing. I think this prompt provides lots of room for interpretation and creativity, because it gives you a profile just vague enough to be expanded upon, but specific enough to have direction and purpose.

2) I've thought about this a lot, just in my daily daydreaming- what if a time traveler simply forgot some sort of life-altering artifact like that? It also calls into question the ability of one person to change the world, and for the future to be changed at all. The author has the ablility  to choose what path they go on the answer this prompt let it be sci fi, political, action/thriller, or investigative.

3) This was an idea that I had the other day while watching the Walking Dead. I mean, what makes the zombies any worse than any other animal, including the "living"? Their purpose is to survive, period. And they are surviving (and thriving) better than any other species on earth during the period of this show. So, what if it's just humanity evolving? Would you give in to the evolution, since it's inevitable for everyone? I think it's a fascinating concept.

Other prompts that I have come across that are intriguing (and pretty funny) but are not my own:
When humanity has to leave Earth to live on the moon, you panic. Nobody knows that you're a werewolf.
The hero bursts into the villain's lair, ready to fight, but the villain is having family troubles - so they have to reschedule their showdown...
Everyone in the world sees themselves in first person. You, however, just woke up in third person. Explain your day.

Assignment 7: On This Date

September 12th through October 11th. Those are the dates for your blog entry this week.

Pick one of the dates from the past four weeks and look up historical events happened on that date. Choose the event of your liking and answer the following:

What happened? Was this good or bad?

What influence did this have on the world? A nation? A city? Your existence?

Do you appreciate this event? Do you loathe it?

Continue to editorialize as you see fit.

Due Sunday, October 2nd at 11:59 pm

October 16th is the last day to make up blogs 1-8

Assignment 5 Tyree

As a kid I used to watch TV daily, but now I barely have time to watch it throughout the week. Now being older and having homework, a social life, and better forms of entertainment the only time I watch TV is when there is literally nothing else to do. When I have free time in the day I'm either with my friends or on my phone and TV is frustrating. It's constant re-runs of shows, boring news, or slow series and when I actually cut on the TV it usually just watches me while I do something else

Assignment 5- Paige Barricklow

Personally I watch TV for many different reasons. On one hand I watch TV as a way to pass the time when I have nothing else to do, if I want to do something that doesn't involve a whole lot of effort, or I want something going on in the background of something else. There are certain shows that I watch because they're mindless and dumb and provide cheap entertainment without making me try too hard. On the other hand there are many TV shows that I watch for the artistic value. I appreciate the acting, the writing, the plot, the characters, the direction, or just the premise of the show in general. In my mind, TV can function similarly to a book, movie, or video game, by allowing me to escape my life and care more about the lives of fictional characters, even if it's only for a little while.
I watch a wide variety of TV shows. When I want to watch something as mindless entertainment or background I really like to watch shows on the food network like Cutthroat Kitchen or Chopped and competitive reality shows like Dancing With the Stars, The Voice, and America's Got Talent. When I really want to sit down and watch something on TV, I'm a big fan of cop and detective shows, specifically NCIS, Criminal Minds, and Law and Order. I also really like fantasy and science fiction type shows like Merlin, Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, Firefly, and Buffy. Recently I have gotten into superhero TV shows like Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and Gotham. Of course there are always those shows that are nothing like the shows I would normally watch, some friends recently introduced me to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and it is one of my new favorites.

Rectangles, assignment 5, zachary langdon

Humans like rectangles. Almost to a worrying degree. Nearly all media we cram into rectangles, be it books, movies, pictures, even windows. If we view something, its probably through a rectangle. If we store something, it’s probably in a rectangular container from binders to laptops to shipping crates.  And from many angles this makes no sense. Our field of view is elliptical, and yet we wear rectangular glasses. Our hands and fingers operate on circular fields of movement, and yet keyboards and touchscreens are rectangles. The simplest shape, the one our brain unconsciously organizes the world into, is triangles; so where did all the rectangles come from?  

I’ll tell you, but first we must learn a lesson; Newtons 1^st law of motion. To save you the jargon, it essentially states that objects will stay still if still, and keep moving if moving. If given the choice, as in gravity doesn’t pull it and nothing touches it, it will keep doing exactly what it was doing. The odd aspect of this is that it matters not whether it is still or moving.

So how can something be different and not be treated any differently? Because their difference is subjective. Movement is determinable by using a reference point; if a speedometer reads 60mph, it is referring to your motion relative to the reference point of the earth. If you set the reference point of the moving object and the stationary object to the respective object, both travel at 0 speed with no direction; In that frame of reference the two have no difference.

Let us leave the physics and try another example, one more down to earth. As I write the Emmys are being awarded. It is now that the best actors on television are being recognized for their achievement. I’ve muted twitter just for the occasion. But the fact I had to do so highlights an important frame of reference. I don’t care in the least who got what trophy or what the prettiest dress was on the red carpet. But the amount of people who do is so large I have to erect walls between me and them in order to carry on writing and hold on to my last marble. Surely if this is the case, then I must be missing something, right? To this I am forced to respond maybe, but I would also have to ask, have you heard of Arthur B. McDonald?

Metaphorically, he tore up the fabric of reality and demanded it be made into a snuggie. Technically, he, along with Takaaki Kajita, discovered that neutrinos had mass, something they really should not have in the current standard model of physics. So the standard model must be rewoven to accommodate his discovery. For this, he was awarded the Nobel prize for physics last year. And where were you when this reality shattering development unfolded? Probably talking about how Kevin Spacey was amazing in House of Cards or how hilarious Amy Poehler is as Leslie Knope in Parks and Rec after they won Emmys the preceding week if you're anything like the people on twitter right now. Not quite on the same level as Arthur “remake the universe as a quilt in my image” B. McDonald are they?

And yet in all probability, this is the first time you’ve heard of Arthur. And that’s ok, I looked him up just for this piece; I had no idea who he was 30 minutes ago. You may vote Knope, some may honor Arthur, and I was probably listening to a new album I had gotten the previous week for my birthday. We all have different reference points in terms of what is important; these reference points create our rectangular frames of reference.

I could tell you that we love rectangles because gravity likes right angles for structural reasons, that putting information are right angles allows it to be compact, or that making an arc keyboard is really hard to do. But we like rectangles because we’ve always like rectangles. We started using rectangles because they were good at some things and just never stopped. We've put ourselves into a rectangular frame of reference for various rational reasons, and rather than make a new frame for new things, we just use the rectangular one. We’re blockheads. So the rectangles make more rectangles until eventually someone taps some rectangles on his rectangle while looking at rectangles displayed on his rectangle to write a rectangular column about why we like rectangles.

All through round glasses of course.

Assignment 5 Nick Falk

I watch TV because it is relaxing. School/work has taken up most of my time for almost all of my life, and it is all exhausting. This summer after I got home from work, I would watch TV for a few hours before starting all over again every day. TV can provide entertainment for the whole family and doesn’t separate their attention to different activities like video games and computers. I don’t watch many TV shows because I mostly like to watch movies, but the shows I do watch are Brooklyn 9-9, Impractical Jokers, and Atlanta. Mostly, I watch shows that make me laugh, with the exception of Atlanta. However, with such ways of entertainment today like Hulu and Netflix, I spend more time bingeing shows than watching them live. With this we all get to have access to shows we missed their airdate. An example would be when I watched Psych on Netflix. Even though when I binge watched it a year later, it could not be found on reruns at all during this time. That means I could never see or find out about this show, because USA dropped it so quickly.

Assignment 5: For the Love and Hate of Television - Jake Tucker

  For me television is not the necessity it has become for some people. In reality television for me is more of a tool than a luxury, I get news and a little entertainment from this device, but that is changing. It was once a daily part of my routine to see what is going on in the world as I would get ready, but now it is much easier to check my Twitter feed and Apple News app for all my daily information to keep me up in the world.

   Now, don't get me wrong, I still watch television. Though really only when I can't make it to watch the Wildcats play, or if there is a big sporting matchup taking place that I can't get to, usually featuring Alabama if it is football or some basketball team that isn't as good as Kentucky. That is really it, I don't watch anything else, like ever. This is due to the magic that is Netflix, or Hulu, or any other streaming service. These things have reinvented television, and made actual television somewhat redundant. Making the only time I will sit down I front of the television for four hours, and feel bad about it, when the Wildcats are playing football. I feel good about it the rest of the time.

Assignment 4: A World in Pictures - Jake Tucker

     This picture was taken during Bill Clinton's statement to the American people in 1998 while his relationship with a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky was being investigated. During this time Americans were very concerned with the morals in the White House, and to some it may have seemed we were becoming too much like the French. Who are known to do this on the regular.

   

     A look back at this time in American history will show not much was going on, so this was a very big and distracting event that Americans could use to distract themselves. The press conference provided one of the most cringe worthy lines in all of American politics with President Clinton stating, “I did not have sexual relations with this woman." This has provided a lot of entertainment to people today; with the many memes about Slick Willy's sex-capades and what not. Though at the time this was a very serious issue, and not many people were laughing at it, except Newt Gingrich.

    This really was not funny back in 1998, it sparked a lot of debate. Many who disliked Clinton saw this as reason for impeachment, others saw this as no big deal. In reality the latter argument was probably closer to the truth, but the whole thing should not have happened. This is why it is probably best just to ignore Washington and do your own thing. Because no matter the party all politicians suck at the end of the day and make half the population upset with them, and I think this event really showcases that, it finally exposed some of the darker sides of Washington that are hidden from the people, and when they come out they scare us. This really is something that needs to be changed, and I really do not know who will; though I can almost guarantee it will not be another Clinton.

Assignment 5- John Felty

Personally, I watch TV as a way to pass time. I usually turn on the TV while I am doing homework, like I have it on right now. Sometimes I don’t even pay attention to the show, other times I’ll fall asleep while it’s on. But, sometimes I genuinely care what I’m watching. I really enjoy watching TV shows like Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Friday Night Lights, and the Office. I binge-watched all of these shows on Netflix, and then re-watched all of them. What made these TV shows appealing to me was the humor and the wonderful story telling (except for the ending of How I Met Your Mother). It doesn’t take much for me to get into a good TV show, as long as it stays interesting. A different genre of TV show that I enjoy watching is super hero based TV shows, like the Flash, Arrow, and Daredevil. These shows appeal to me because they are action packed and are full of exciting plot twists. But, whether I care about the show or not, I always watch TV to spend time.

Assignment 5- Daryn Smith

Television has become one of the primary sources of entertainment in America. People spend hours upon hours watching their favorite shows or sports teams each day. With the many networks that exist, nearly everyone can find something that they are interested in. Because it draws in such a large, diverse crowd, it has become to integral into everyday lives of people across America and other parts of the world.
I personally do not watch a great deal of television, as I prefer Netflix shows that have already ended and that I can watch at the rate I please. But for many other people, their favorite tv show provides something to look forward to each week. When I do watch tv, I enjoy Grey's Anatomy, Downton Abbey, and The Daily Show. I am not a fan of cooking shows (because they make me too hungry). I don't watch television regularly not because I don't like it, but because it doesn't fit with my lifestyle. I do, however, think it is cool that it has provided a way for many actors, actresses, and other celebrities to become famous.
TV has successfully entertained people for years now, and because of this, advertisers have been able to spread word about their company, restaurant, or cause quite effectively. Massive parts of political campaigns take place on television. Since so many people are watching, it is a great way to spread the word. Despite the prevalence of advertisements on tv, I don't think that they are the main effect television has had on society. More importantly, television involves Americans into each others' lives and makes ordinary people into celebrities, subsequently entertaining everyone else at home.
While it takes up a lot of many Americans' time, it isn't necessarily a bad thing for society.

Assignment 5- Joonyoung Park

When I was younger I used to be glued to my TV. As a kid, I used to wake up early every Saturday morning and watch cartoons up until my parents would force me to stop watching TV. Watching TV was a big part of my life but is now slowly being replaced by other forms of entertainment. Services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are taking the spot of TV. Most people prefer these services because it allows them to watch whatever show they want anywhere and anytime. Now a days I don't watch as much as TV as I used to because of the ease and convenience of Netflix. My favorite show is Game of Thrones.

Safal Dumre- Blog 5

As a kid I used to watch a lot of TV. I would come home and watch my favorite shows. I would wake up at 7 am every morning to watch the Saturday cartoons. TV used to be a big part of my life, as well as many others. But now new ways to access entertainment are becoming more and more popular, slowly replacing TV entirely. Netflix being the most popular has become the favorite for entertainment. The new age of media has truly taken over the world. I can't remember the last time I turned on my TV, and many others share my experience. Most people don't watch TV anymore, rather they have found newer, cheaper and more convenient ways to entertain themselves. I am one of these people. I don't watch TV anymore, but I watch Netflix shows. My favorite shows are Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, and Dexter.

Nicole Loy Assignment 5

I watch TV to relax. After a long night of dance and schoolwork, the only thing that keeps me going is my hour-long TV time. While I could be doing something more beneficial, such as reading a book or studying for the SAT, I need to take some time to unwind or else I’ll go crazy. I’m spread way too thin and being able to listen to the rantings of privileged housewives and the fights that ensue allows me to calm down and not have a panic attack. However, I try not to watch too much television, as I know it’s super distracting and I won’t be able to complete my homework assignments if I am watching a show. I love watching American Horror Story, the Real Housewives, Tyrant, West Wing, Friends, Gossip Girl, etc. Shows I hate include: America’s Got Talent, The Voice, Dancing with the Stars, and Long Island Medium.